RECAP Muhammad Siblings Clear Big Bars At North Coast Finals

CIF-NORTH COAST SECTION MEET OF CHAMPIONS


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DUBLIN -- The two-day North Coast Meet of Champions concluded Saturday at Dublin HS with a slew of standout performances.

First among them is the 14-foot clearance in the pole vault on Friday by Dublin sophomore Jathiyah Muhammad. She held the state lead for less than a day before Scripps Ranch (SD) senior Lexi Evans also cleared 14 feet at the San Diego Section Finals on Saturday. 

They are two of just eight girls nationwide to have cleared 14 feet this spring. Muhammad continues to be the top vaulter in the country in the Class of 2024.

Muhammad, who took 14 jumps beginning at 11-7 and needed her third and final attempt to clear the 14-foot bar, broke the meet record of 13-4 set in 2019 by Kelley Kern of Carondelet. Maria Carrillo junior Lily Mulligan was second at NCS at 12-11 a week after clearing 13-2.50 at a section regional meet.

The North Coast Section was allotted three automatic qualifying spots for the May 27-28 CIF-State Meet at Buchanan HS in Clovis. Additional athletes and relay teams could advance by hitting the state's at-large qualifying standard. 

Albany senior Sophia Nordenholz didn't quite hit her PR for 1600m but she did earn the section's top qualifying spot for the State Meet. 

The Tamalpais senior duo of Emma Dunmire (4:51.73) and Brianna McInnis (4:51.88) grabbed the other two automatic qualifying spots in the 1600m. Sonora Academy sophomore Athena Ryan's 4:52.60 for fourth place just dipped under the qualifying standard by 0.24. Ryan is competing in girls track this spring after competing in the small-school Division V State Cross Country Championships in the boys division during the fall. 

Nordenholz was second in the 3200m (10:29.77) behind Montgomery freshman Hanne Thomsen (10:23.82). Both girls closed in 75.

Campolindo won the team title with Dublin second at Acalanes third. 

Campo was led by junior Mari Testa, who won the 100 metes in 12.19 (0.7), the 100-meter hurdles in 14.68 (3.6), placed third in the 300m hurdles (47.05), and ran the lead leg on the winning 4x100-meter relay team (48.42).

Testa's senior teammate Sara Tabibian won the 300m hurdles (45.63), placed third in the 400m (59.05), and anchored that 4x1. 

California senior Mara Lampsas won the high jump at 5-4, after passing at 5-3 she needed her final jump to beat Acalanes junior Carly Harriman (5-3).

California also got an event title from senior Hannah Richardson in the discus throw (122-10).

- West County senior Ellie Roan won the shot put (39-9.75)

- Castro Valley junior Lynee Sims won the long jump (18-10.25 (3.3)

- Deer Valley with sophomore Keneyia Hall on anchor won the 4x400 meter relay (3:57.74)

 - Branson junior Adeline Johnson won the 800, (2:16.74) to edge West County senior Carolina Dawson (2:16.85)

- Clayton Valley sophomore Zoe Lahanas won the 400m (57.79) with Maria Carrillo junior Elianah DeMange second in 58.66

BOYS RECAP


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It was a clean sweep by the Muhammad siblings in the pole vault. Freshman Khaliq Muhammad won the boys division with a clearance of 15-7. The top 2025 boys pole vaulter in the country was clan at five heights with two passes before missing his first attempt at 15-7. After clearing on his second jump, he moved the bar to 16 feet but wasn't able to clear a height that would equal the state freshman class record.  

Moreau Catholic junior Bryce Thomas and Campolindo senior Mason Fara battled in the 400m before Thomas got the nod at the line in 48.41, 0.02 ahead of Fara. Thomas came back to win the 200m (21.93/0.4) with El Cerrito junior Robert Stitts next in 22.06.

Pinole senior Cornell Davis prevailed in the 100m, crossing in 10.47 (3.0) with Pittsburg junior Zach Card second (10.53) and Acalanes sophomore Paul Kuhner third (10.56).

Berkeley senior Timothy Keller went 59.4 and 57.9 to win the 800m in 1:57.28) and beat Piedmont senior Cooper Downing (1:57.47).

El Cerrito, with sophomore Daniel Harper on anchor, won the 4x100m relay in 41.90, and also got an event win from sophomore Zion Shelton in 



College Park junior Alex Lamoureux (interview above) closed in 60 seconds to win the 1600m (4:14.94) to beat Piedmont senior Jack Stein (4:17.91) and Granada junior Dheeraj Gurusamy (4:18.56).

Dublin senior Anish Kasam edged Convent and Stuart Hall senior Aiden Guibert in the 300m hurdles, 39.25-39.35. 

Albany junior Sean Morello closed in 67 to win the 3200m in 9:08.54 with Dublin senior Daniel Trampe second in  9:14.62.

James Logan senior Jacob Watts (photo above) put together an interesting double, winning the triple jump during Friday's competition (46-4/2.5) -- to beat SF University senior Sean Huckleberry (45-06.75/4.6) -- and came back Saturday to win the discus throw (153-08)  - to beat San Leandro senior Khalil Golden (150-10). Golden won the shot put (52-09.75) during Friday's competition. 

Salesian senior Elias Ajamu won the long jump at 23-6.0 (0.0).

Dublin won the team title with Pittsburgh second and Piedmont third. 


Jeffrey Parenti is the California State Editor or MileSplit

Photos by Jennifer Koziel | Interview by Eric Morford